


Break Noses, Not Hearts

by JustADumbWriter



Category: The orbiting human circus (of the air)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-10
Updated: 2016-11-10
Packaged: 2018-08-30 03:23:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8516557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustADumbWriter/pseuds/JustADumbWriter
Summary: Because who doesn't love a good cliché!Julian's clumsy, John's just in the wrong place at the wrong time. (Please don't judge me too harshly I'm so new to this lmao)





	

"FOR GOD'S SAKE, STOP THAT MOUSE!!!"

The corridor is filled with echoes of tapping, squeaking, and two pairs of thunderous feet racing behind. 

"Mr. Cameron you're just scaring her more!" Julian pleads, following the host close behind in the hot pursuit. 

"QUIET, JULIAN! If it wasn't for you I wouldn't BE in this mess! MILDRED, COME BACK HERE!" 

Julian quiets down, frowning. 

It's true, Julian was the one who had let Mildred out of her cage, but it was only to see her dancing up close. He'd heard so much about it, and she had been just fine until John Cameron had walked in, and set a glare upon Julian that was so unsettling, Mildred had fled. 

Julian doesn't bring this up, however, as Mr. Cameron is already worked up enough, breath heaving as he dashes down the corridor. 

Mildred takes a hard left, and dives into a little crack in the wall, disappearing from sight. John screeches to a halt, and Julian stops moments later- though, a moment too late, as he accidentally bangs into John's back. John turns to him, breath uneven and face slightly flushed. He looks livid. 

"GET. ME. THAT. MOUSE." He orders, grabbing Julian by the collar and dragging him close, "Or so help me, I will feed you to the fortune telling lion!" 

He lets go of Julian, pushing him away, and storms off back up the corridor. 

Julian sighs, straightening his shirt. He lays down flat on his stomach, and peers into the small hole. 

"C'mon Mildred, it's okay." He smiles softly, staring into the dark space. 

No response. 

"I think you may be in for a long night..." The Narrator's voice chimes. 

Julian sighs. 

\---

Eventually, Mildred is coaxed out. 

"Julian walks back to her cage, letting her sit in his hand, and showing her more of the tower in which she resides. He carefully scratches her head with his finger." The Narrator drawls as they walk. 

"We've missed the whole show tonight..." He sighs, "But I'm glad you're safe."

"He puts Mildred back in her cage, and is met with a small squeak of thanks. Julian looks around, making sure the other acts are safe and sound, and freezes when he sees one cage... Empty! The Orkestrel! It's gone, and it's door is wide open!"

"O-oh NO! No! Not again!" Julian rushes out of the room, frantic. 

"He hears a gentle melody drifting through from the stage, and he makes a beeline for it. He pauses for a moment to listen again for the soft sound... There! On the main stage! He charges through the wings, eyes focusing on the high rafters to see where the bird is but suddenly-- LOOK OUT!"

Julian collides with John, sending them both tumbling down into the floor. It's a tangle of limbs and the world is spinning. In the confusion, Julian jerks his head up and--

Before he realises, his lips are on John's. 

There's a moment where everything freezes, Julian and John just staring at each other in wide-eyed bewilderment as they share a catastrophic version of... A kiss!

And then, time starts up again. 

Julian breaks away, untangling himself and getting up off of John. 

"O-oh my God! Mr. Cameron, I'm so sorry! I-I was looking for the Orkestrel a-and-- Oh my gosh, you're bleeding!"

John props himself up on his elbow, wincing as he brings a hand to his nose, which is streaming crimson down his face. 

"Oh, GOD! Damn, that hurts!"

"Oh my God-- I'm sorry, I'M SORRY!"

"Agh-- Julian! Get me the medic!"

Julian nods and runs, red-faced, from the stage- where it has become apparent that Mr. Cameron was actually teaching the Orkestrel a new symphony. 

Julian races down the corridors- heart hammering from more than just the running. He reaches the medic's room in record timing, and explains everything to him (well, almost everything) before leading him to the stage. 

At the doors, Julian falters. The medic rushes in, but Julian is frozen, his mind beginning to fully process what just happened... He _kissed_ Mr. Cameron. 

Mr. Cameron, the host of the Orbiting Human Circus (of the Air). 

Mr. Cameron, a man who can barely stand Julian on his best days, and goodness only knows what he thinks of him now!

Julian turns away. He walks back to the janitor's closet, goes inside, and slides down against the door. 

"Aren't you going to see if he's alright..?" The Narrator prompts. 

Julian stays silent, burying his head in his hands, and letting embarrassment root him to the spot for the rest of the night. 

\---

"He manages to go the entire show without so much as walking past the stage doors. 

"He doesn't once try to sneak in. 

"Jaques thinks it's a miracle.  
Leticia thinks he's dead. 

"Julian can't face that level of embarrassment- he just CAN'T! He wonders if he'll ever be able to even be in the same room as Mr. Cameron again, let alone look him in the eye."

"Okay! Okay! I get it," Julian sighs, collecting equipment from the closet. 

Julian had overheard Jaques say that Mr. Cameron's nose has been broken. 

"He said it was a fuckin' accident with a faulty piece of set."

So, what actually happened would not be spoken of again. 

It's probably for the best...

\---

Julian waits until everyone has left for the night to start cleaning. 

He decides to tackle the stage first. 

He mops the floor, and lets his mind wonder onto other things. He thinks of the sights he saw on the train to Paris. He thinks of the rolling oceans, and the expanse of countrysides. He thinks back to his first night up in the Eiffel tower, when he looked out to see the twinkling lights of the entire city beneath him. 

Julian snaps back to reality when he hears someone clear their throat behind him. 

He jumps, turns around, and feels his stomach drop when he sees who it is. 

"Mr. Cameron! I-- Oh my god..."

John's nose is covered with a thick, white plaster. It looks horrendous, and Julian claps a hand to his mouth to stop a nervous laugh from escaping, and his brows knit together. 

"Julian."

John takes a few steps towards Julian, arms folded. 

"M-Mr. Cameron I'm SO sorry for-for what happened yesterday. I didn't m-mean to ruin your--"

" _Julian._ "

John takes another step, an eyebrow raised. 

"I-I mean it's not that your face IS r-ruined! It just looks a little-- oh, God. No-- I mean--"

" _JULIAN!_ "

John is standing right in front of him now, eyes fixed on the Janitor. There's a long moment of nothing, Julian scrambling for words, and John watching him silently. Finally, John holds up a hand to stop him. 

"I only have one thing to say to you," he says, slowly, though there is no harsh edge to his tone.

"... Be more careful, this time."

Julian doesn't have a chance to respond, because John takes his hands, leans in, and presses their lips together oh-so-gently. 

Julian's eyes widen, and his breath hitches. He can feel his heartbeat in his ears. 

It's over as quickly as it happened, John pulling back slightly to read Julian's reaction, to check if it was okay. Julian, still stunned, stares at John, like a deer in headlights. John falters, straightening up and making to pull away fully. 

"... I'm sorry, was that not--"

He's cut off, as Julian's fingers tighten around his own. 

"No! No. That--that was... Nice. C-can we--"  
Julian trails off, blushing, but John gives a small nod, and the janitor leans up to close the gap between them. 

They kiss slowly, gently. John lets go of Julian's hands to wrap his arms around his waist, and carefully pull him closer. Julian huffs out a tiny laugh, his arms coming to rest on John's shoulders. 

After a long while, they pull apart. 

John looks down at Julian, eyes the softest he's ever seen them, and Julian smiles gingerly up as John. 

And for once, both of them are speechless.


End file.
